News, Local Food and Farms in British Columbia

23 Heritage Beans

Unique, Colourful, Flavourful Foods

Heritage bean growers like Rebecca Jehn preserve a wealth of traditions, diversity and flavours not found in today’s mechanized food chain. At her farm at Rebecca’s Garden in Victoria, BC, she grows over 30 unique varieties of beans, chickpeas and lentils.

Heritage and heirloom bean varieties have been passed down through families and friends for generations and are prized for their unusual colours, flavours, sizes and textures.

Among Rebecca’s treasures are such unusual pulses as the Cave bean, which traces its history back 1,500 years, or the striking black-and-white Orca bean or the maroon-and-white Mojave bean which each hold their unique colours when cooked.

In this video she describes 23 of the unique heritage varieties she is helping to pass on to future generations.

I really enjoyed your video on the heirloom beans you are growing. I grow a lot of heirloom beans in my small garden but mostly pole beans because of lack of space. I think I have over 200 varieties in my collection now and seems to be still growing, not all pole varieties but all open pollinated, a bit of an addiction I’m afraid :). I’m a firm believer in keeping them in public domain and share with others whenever I can. I’m also on V.I. but up island from you.